Tips around the house

• Replace a regular incandescent light bulb with a compact fluorescent light bulb (cfl)
  
  CFLs use 60% less energy than a regular bulb. This simple switch will save about 135KG / 300 lbs of carbon dioxide a year
   
• Install a programmable thermostat
  
  Programmable thermostats will automatically lower the heat or air conditioning at night and raise them again in the morning. They can save you $100 a year on your energy bill
   
• Move your thermostat down 2° in winter and up 2° in summer
  
  Almost half of the energy we use in our homes goes to heating and cooling. You could save about 900KG / 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year with this simple adjustment.
   
• Clean or replace filters on your furnace and air conditioner
  
  Cleaning a dirty air filter can save 155KG / 350 pounds of carbon dioxide a year.
   
• Choose energy efficient appliances when making new purchases
  
  Look for the Energy Star label on new appliances to choose the most energy efficient products available.
   
• Do not leave appliances on standby
  
  Use the “on/off” function on the machine itself. A TV set that’s switched on for 3 hours a day (the average time Europeans spend watching TV) and in standby mode during the remaining 21 hours uses about 40% of its energy in standby mode.